EZ News 12/09/25

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 60-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 28,364 on turnover of 10.5-billion N-T. The market gained solid ground on Monday after surpassing the 28,000 point mark in early trading on the back of strong investor interest in electronic and semiconductor heavyweights. US Congress revises bill allocating Taiwan security funding The U-S Congress has released a new draft of the National Defense Authorization Act - which includes up to 1-billion U-S dollars in funding for Taiwan-related security cooperation in 2026. The new draft removes earlier language that would have invited Taiwan to participate in the US-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise. The bill will require the U-S defense secretary to "enable fielding of uncrewed (無人的) and anti-uncrewed systems capabilities" with Taiwan by March 1 of next year, and those systems must comply with the Taiwan Relations Act and be usable by both U-S and Taiwanese forces. The compromise version was produced after the U-S.Senate and House of Representatives reconciled their separate versions into a unified bill. Taiwan forms clinical trial alliance to accelerate access to new medicines Taiwan has launched a new clinical trial alliance aimed at coordinating medical institutions nationwide to help patients gain faster access to promising but not yet approved medicines. The Taiwan Alliance of Clinical Trial Centers has been initiated by the Taipei Medical University. It brings together 32 medical and research institutions nationwide and is backed by the government and aims to pool resources (共用資源), strengthen coordination and enhance Taiwan's international competitiveness. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says the alliance is expected to boost international collaboration by encouraging pharmaceutical companies to choose Taiwan as a base for research and development. Japan Tsunami Warning Lifted After Quake A magnitude 7.5 earthquake has struck off northern Japan, injuring at least 30 people and triggering (觸發) a tsunami. The quake hit late on Monday, about 80 kilometers off the coast of the Aomori region. The public broadcaster NHK says all tsunami warnings have now been lifted, while waves up to 70 centimeters were reported. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says people were mostly injured by falling objects. Nuclear power plants are conducting safety checks, and some train services are suspended. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a megaquake. Supreme Court weighs whether President Trump can fire heads of independent agencies The US Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether President Donald Trump has the authority to fire a top Federal Trade Commission official - in a case that could have far reaching consequences for independent regulators. FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter was ousted earlier this year - told that her service was "inconsistent (不一致的) with the Administration's priorities". Toni Waterman reports That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn